        If at first you don&rsquo;t succeed, try again. This is Joan Mir&rsquo;s philosophy. After hurting himself at the Red Bull Ring and having missed Misano, his focus is now on Arag&oacute;n. The team Ecstar rider wants to get back on his Suzuki, competing at the MotoGP round taking place at Motorland. Will he be able to do it? Mir and the GSX-RR: back together at Arag&oacute;n?  Yes, or at least the first practice session, in which the Majorcan will be able to understand whether he&rsquo;s able to complete the entire weekend. Once back in the saddle and out of pitlane, the number 36 rider will soon be able to see what state his ankle ligaments are in, damaged at the Red Bull Ring and pretty painful. In the hope that Joan doesn&rsquo;t suffer, his participation will be conditioned by his physical condition and his stamina in the saddle. As for Marc Marquez, it&rsquo;s one thing to complete a few laps, but quite another to battle with your rivals. Translated by Heather Watson No Fantic for Arenas: Albert will race with KTM Ajo in Moto2       

The Spaniard missed the Misano round after sustaining injury in Austria, but he is aiming to compete at &nbsp;Motorland. First, though, he&rsquo;ll need to tackle Friday&rsquo;s FP1

Mir will try: Aragón MotoGP is in Joan’s sights

        During Autolook Week, in which he was presented with a &ldquo;Hall of Fame MotoGP Award&rdquo; together with other Suzuki greats and put on a show aboard the 500 two-stroke, we exchanged a few words with Marco Lucchinelli. The 1981 world champion, who always speaks his mind, offered his views on the current world championship season before also touching on his own return to the saddle. Lucchinelli: &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t understand Suzuki&rsquo;s decision&rdquo;  One of the year&rsquo;s most shocking headlines relates to the factory Suzuki team and its decision to withdraw at the end of the season. Something that &ldquo;Lucky&rdquo; struggles to comprehend: &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t understand the reasoning behind this choice. It&rsquo;s right to focus on production bikes, but this isn&rsquo;t the first time Suzuki has withdrawn from a major world championship and I think it&rsquo;s a mistake.&rdquo; &ldquo;They won the world championship two years ago, have never had such a competitive bike as the GSX-RR and they're pulling out? In my opinion, this was the ideal time to invest and focus on one of the two riders to continue to win and be fast&rdquo;, continues Marco. &ldquo;They made the same move in Superbike a few years back, but I hope this proves to the right decision for the future of the brand.&rdquo; &ldquo;It seems they&rsquo;re doing all they can to have Bagnaia win&rdquo;  There is then talk of the current championship, where Quartararo leads but Bagnaia continues to close in: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a great championship this year and I hope it&rsquo;s won by the rider who deserves it, thanks only to their potential and technical package, without team orders or anything like that. It seems like they&rsquo;re doing everything - I won&rsquo;t say who - to have Bagnaia win, but I hope that he and Fabio can battle it out on equal terms until the end of the year.&rdquo; Lastly, Lucchinelli tells us about his experience of the Moto Guzzi Fast Endurance, which saw him race at Mugello: &ldquo;It was something really different, but a lot of fun too. Riding a bike with as little power as the Guzzi V7, Mugello is like another track entirely, but to be competitive you need to be brave, because it&rsquo;s not easy to tackle the Arrabbiate turns, throttle wide open, and then brake just a few metres from the turn and let the bike run. I liked it, it was an experience I&rsquo;d like to repeat in the future&rdquo;. Translated by Heather Watson Down to Moto2: Darryn Binder to race with Intact GP       

The 1981 world champion offers his views on the current season: &ldquo;It was a time for Suzuki to invest, not withdraw&rdquo;

Exclusive, Lucchinelli: “May the most deserving rider win MotoGP, although...”

        A great opportunity for Dominique Aegerter, one that the Swiss rider seized with both hands. The newly crowned MotoE champion has got a first taste of what it's like to ride a MotoGP bike. The morning spent on track at Misano allowed him to get an idea as to the GSX-RR. And the number 77 rider was still in disbelief as he took his helmet off. Aegerter in MotoGP: "I got the OK, I said wow!"  Blonde and with the kind of smile you only see in a toothpaste commercial, Dominique is understandably in seventh heaven: "Getting on a MotoGP is a dream come true&rdquo;, he comments, &ldquo;also because look how beautiful the Suzuki is - fantastic, sexy, with my number 77 on the front&hellip; I really want to thank team Ecstar for the opportunity, they&rsquo;ve all been so nice, explaining different things to me before sending me out&rdquo;. Before taking part in the session, the Swiss rider needed to have the OK from his current team: "Ten Kate and Yamaha were in agreement, and so I thank them too. I received the OK between Sunday night and Monday afternoon and my reaction was pretty simple. Wow!&rdquo; Domi on the Suzuki: "Arag&oacute;n is an option, but I hope Mir is back"  Unlike the MotoE, unlike the Supersport, simply unique. Exactly, unique. That&rsquo;s the MotoGP: "With all that&rsquo;s available, certain characteristics really stood out for me&rdquo;, continues Dominique. &ldquo;The Michelin tyres offer incredible grip, the seamless gearbox is amazing, and the gears and power come thick and fast without giving you chance to breathe". It&rsquo;s true, the horsepower is hard to ignore: "You reach incredible speeds in a short time, a matter of metres. And then you have to brake. I think I got on well with the braking. I realised that I would need to improve when it comes to getting the rear to slide. I&rsquo;d need to do more testing, but the team really helped me.&rdquo; In the end, the times he set during the morning were not too bad: "Roughly two seconds and three tenths from the fastest guys, with two new tyres and 33 laps made. I think it went well. It would be good to try again - we&rsquo;ll see. They&rsquo;ve asked me whether I might race in place of Mir if he cannot compete. I hope Joan can be back soon though. As for me, it would mean a busy series of weekends; from Misano I&rsquo;m heading to Magny-Cours for Supersport. Then I may be at Motorland for MotoGP. And then Barcelona for Supersport again. Anyway, we&rsquo;ll see". Aegerter, so how is the MotoGP?  Aegerter has more to say about the Suzuki: "You ask me whether it resembles a tiger? Well, luckily I&rsquo;ve not ridden one of those but&hellip; yes, perhaps. It&rsquo;s hard to explain, I&rsquo;ve had so much fun, with so much power and grip". And the lean angles? Domi was impressed: "And to think I wasn&rsquo;t even at the limit, not mine or the bike&rsquo;s! The turning is crazy, what can I say? I still have a lot to understand, but one thing is clear &ndash; I still need to get my head around what a MotoGP is, because it&rsquo;s a hard thing to do". Translated by Heather Watson MotoGP broadens its horizons, a Saudi GP in the pipeline       

Dominique has tested the team Ecstar Suzuki: "I&rsquo;ve never ridden a tiger but we could say this is similar. I have a chance to race at Arag&oacute;n, but I hope Joan Mir can return"

Test Misano, Aegerter: “How’s the MotoGP? I still need to get my head around it"

        Swiss rider Dominique Aegerter, the newly crowned MotoE champion, has a great opportunity coming up. The current Supersport champion is about to do something that many dream of but few actually achieve, as he prepares to climb aboard a factory MotoGP bike. The Suzuki Ecstar team will field him during the Misano test, during which he&rsquo;ll be riding the GSX-RR. The now 31-year old from Rohrbach had never had a chance to test the prototype of prototypes until now. The Swiss rider has previously scored solid results in the intermediate class, but the MotoGP is a different matter. Just enough time to lift the electric trophy, while also looking ahead to the next Supersport round. Prior to the Magny-Cours round, Aegerter will take part in the Misano test on Tuesday and Wednesday. Team Ecstar will work on one of the two days with factory rider Alex Rins on the number 42 GSX-RR. The other Suzuki will be made available to Kazuki Watanabe, who was in action during the San Marino and Riviera di Rimini round. Dominique will nevertheless have sufficient attention from the team, during what is an important session for his own personal CV. As he continues along the path towards a second Supersport title with Yamaha and Ten Kate, this opportunity confirms his value and may even open other doors, perhaps in Superbike. Translated by Heather Watson GP Misano, Domenicali scolds Bastianini: &ldquo;He could have avoided it&hellip;&rdquo;       

The newly crowned MotoE champion and current Supersport champion will test the team Ecstar GSX-RR tomorrow

MotoGP opportunity for Aegerter: Suzuki to field him during the Misano test

        There are still twelve rounds to go and the season is yet long, but the two Suzuki riders are having a tough time of it lately. Neither Alex Rins nor Joan Mir were able to reach the finish line at the French and Italian events, which means that the gap between them and the championship leader continues to grow eight races in. From farewell to four DNFs for Suzuki  Rins now lies 53 points behind leader Fabio Quartararo, positioning sixth in the standings, while Mir is 66 points back, currently tenth overall. Disappointing performances, which come on the back of a weekend during which Suzuki announced its plans to leave MotoGP at the end of the season. The Italian GP should have provided the team with an opportunity to bounce back, but we can only hope that the upcoming Barcelona round can lift the spirits of the riders, so that they can conclude this MotoGP chapter in a positive light. Two positive notes according to team manager Suppo  &ldquo;It was a very difficult weekend&rdquo;, admits team manager Livio Suppo, who adds: &ldquo;This is definitely not what we expected, but we&rsquo;re happy that Joan and Aleix are both OK&rdquo;. It&rsquo;s time to turn the season around, the next opportunity coming at the Montmel&oacute; circuit: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s positive that we&rsquo;re heading to Barcelona straight away, as we can quickly put this weekend behind us and aim for something exceptional at a track both riders enjoy&rdquo;. The duo have generally done well in Catalonia, and this could be the track at which they can fight back with renewed vigour and an even stronger bond in the face of adversity. Translated by Heather Watson Italian GP, Aprilia and RNF Racing: the satellite team deal is done       

Having failed to score points at both Le Mans and Mugello, Alex Rins and Joan Mir begin to drop back in the championship standings &nbsp;

GP Mugello, a second double DNF for Suzuki: the tough times continue

        After news broke regarding Suzuki&rsquo;s withdrawal from MotoGP as of 2023, it wasn't long before the Leopard Racing team was being mentioned. As if a replacement package was already ready and waiting, and yet that&rsquo;s not the case. Team principal Miodrag Kotur confirms this, explaining: &ldquo;The rumour&rsquo;s gone around for a while, but it hasn&rsquo;t come from us.&rdquo; But the connection between teams was soon made. &ldquo;The Suzuki news came as a surprise to us, as it did to everyone. Even Dorna, because they&rsquo;d just signed a long-term contract and now this announcement, after less than a year. As for us, we haven&rsquo;t discussed it internally. For now, it&rsquo;s not in our plans and I think that if a constructor withdraws, Dorna will do all it can to find another, rather than find a satellite team.&rdquo; There is also talk of a privateer Aprilia team. "This is what the manufacturer wants, but Ducati has three. It would be good if one of them went with Aprilia, but I don&rsquo;t think that the place left by a constructor will be given to a satellite team. I highly doubt it.&rdquo; How important is it for you to enter MotoGP? "It was at one time, but now all the teams have made agreements for five years, so perhaps we&rsquo;ll talk again after that. We don&rsquo;t know what will happen in MotoGP in the next five years. We&rsquo;re not waiting for a team to leave before we try and enter, particularly considering that, if someone wants to enter, they need to know well ahead of time. You can&rsquo;t prepare for next season in May or June. We&rsquo;re focused on other things for now. We&rsquo;ve acquired the Viterbo circuit in Italy and are concentrating on other projects.&rdquo; Translated by Heather Watson Exclusive, Melandri: &ldquo;Suzuki a new Hayate? Why not?!&rdquo;       

The manager outlines the team&rsquo;s future plans, refuting claims it will enter the top class, at least for now

Leopard Racing in MotoGP? Team principal Miodrag Kotur responds

        As we await official confirmation, which seems increasingly certain, the Suzuki debacle continues to hold court. The Hamamatsu manufacturer&rsquo;s decision to leave MotoGP seems almost surreal, but has clear precedents, as Marco Melandri well knows, having often found himself faced with this kind of situation throughout his long career. &ldquo;Suzuki&rsquo;s decision is a kick in the teeth for MotoGP&rdquo;, begins Marco, &ldquo;something I didn&rsquo;t expect. After Covid, it looked like the market was up and running again, but there&rsquo;s actually been a boomerang effect. Those in charge at Suzuki are not racing fans and only see it as a cost, and so they&rsquo;re starting to pull their oars in. The results up until now have been good but they don&rsquo;t really care. BMW and I were also leading the championship three races from the end, but those in charge don&rsquo;t care at all. And for everyone working at the track, this comes as a massive blow.&rdquo; Mir and Rins&rsquo; current situation is very similar to what you faced in SBK in 2012. What do you think? &ldquo;At first, the riders feel these things the least, as they are often able to find another ride, but then there's like a waterfall effect. When they start to realise that the guys on the team need to find work because they have a family, the results take a back seat. And all of this rests on the rider&rsquo;s shoulders, wearing them down.&rdquo; How do you think the rest of the season will go for them? &ldquo;They need to be strong, and the guys in the garage need to try not to transmit the stress of the situation. Suppo&rsquo;s only just arrived and he has a tough job now, as he needs to try and keep the negative energy from the riders, so that they don&rsquo;t throw the season away already now.&rdquo; Melandri: "The manufacturers and teams will now have more power when negotiating with the riders"  Is it worse to have found out now or, in your case, three races from the end of the season? &ldquo;For the guys on the team, it&rsquo;s better now, as they have more time to find a new job. But I also hope that another team replaces Suzuki, because otherwise there will be less jobs overall. Finding out at the end is a disaster, because everything&rsquo;s already in place for the following season.&rdquo; How do you view the riders&rsquo; market now? &ldquo;It&rsquo;s hard to say, but things will definitely start moving now. I think this earthquake will impact on the hiring of riders. With two less competitive bikes and two additional strong riders, the manufacturers and teams will have more negotiating power. I&rsquo;m thinking about Quartararo for example, who&rsquo;s negotiating a renewal with Yamaha and now has less ability to cash in&rdquo;. Do you think we might see another Hayate case in 2023? Could it work? &ldquo;Why not, never say never. The bikes work, and I don&rsquo;t expect the other bikes to make a massive step next year, also because if I were at Dorna, I&rsquo;d put the brakes on development. The aerodynamics are really limiting the show for example. Those following behind are starting to struggle to pass, also because you can&rsquo;t take any real risks while braking from 360 km/m. If the bikes went 30 km/h slower, nothing would change for us watching at home, but the races would be more of a spectacle&rdquo;. Translated by Heather Watson Exclusive, Uncini on Suzuki&rsquo;s withdrawal: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m saddened, it&rsquo;s like d&eacute;j&agrave;-vu&rdquo;       

Marco explains: "Mir and Rins like me in 2012: to feel negative energy on your shoulders wears you down"

Exclusive, Melandri: “Suzuki a new Hayate? Why not?!”

        The news that Suzuki will withdraw at the end of the year sent shockwaves through the MotoGP paddock yesterday, all while riders Mir and Rins were taking part in the post-race test session at Jerez. An exit that has left many perplexed, inside and outside the paddock, former Suzuki legends included. One such man is John Hopkins, now involved as a coach for American Racing but a former Hamamatsu rider from 2003 to 2007. The American told us what he thinks about the news, which has taken everyone by surprise. Hopkins: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a real shame to lose Suzuki&rdquo;  John, Suzuki may withdraw. What do you think? &ldquo;I haven&rsquo;t seen any official confirmation yet, but I&rsquo;ve heard that it&rsquo;s 100% certain they&rsquo;ll go at the end of the year. If it&rsquo;s true, it&rsquo;s very sad. I&rsquo;m sorry because Suzuki is one of the most competitive bikes on the grid and it&rsquo;s a shame to lose them. They have a great team with a great bike and the Suzuki name has always been a favourite of mine. I think there might be an opportunity for a satellite team to come in and field Suzuki bikes next year, maybe it will even be American Racing&rdquo;. Translated by Heather Watson Exclusive, Uncini on Suzuki&rsquo;s withdrawal: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m saddened, it&rsquo;s like d&eacute;j&agrave;-vu&rdquo;       

We spoke to the American Racing coach and former Suzuki MotoGP rider, who offered us an initial opinion about this bombshell news, still to be confirmed

Exclusive, Hopkins: “Suzuki? Sad to see them go, considering their competitiveness”

        The news of Suzuki&rsquo;s withdrawal from MotoGP has taken everyone by surprise. Not least Franco Uncini, who is now in charge of safety but who rode for the Hamamatsu manufacturer for many years, even winning&nbsp;the title with them in 1982. The Italian tells us what he thinks of this move, one that, for us on the outside at least, appears inexplicable. How did you take the news? &ldquo;Very, very badly. I&rsquo;m astonished and also a bit disappointed because at a time like this, when Suzuki is highly competitive with two strong riders, a good team, a bike fighting for the title, to leave is a very big mistake. I&rsquo;m disappointed and saddened because, in my particular case, I&rsquo;ve always followed Suzuki a little more closely.&rdquo; And it&rsquo;s so unexpected. &ldquo;Absolutely, but thinking about it, it&rsquo;s similar to my story. In 1982 I won the title, Joan Mir won it in 2020. The withdrawal came soon after and, even back then, it came as a surprise. I&rsquo;m a little shocked, no one expected it and I&rsquo;m really sorry because it&rsquo;s a great name, a great bike, with great riders. The news is a little peeving.&rdquo; And they&rsquo;d just hired Livio Suppo as team manager. &ldquo;So they clearly set out with the intention of continuing and doing well, so I don&rsquo;t understand how it all changed so quickly. It seems they&rsquo;ve made this important decision very fast. And it&rsquo;s a big step backwards. At the start of the season, they were thinking about expanding with a satellite team, and now we have the exact opposite.&rdquo; There is talk of financial issues relating to the pandemic, what do you think? &ldquo;We don&rsquo;t know the real reasons, but this was the kind of excuse used in &rsquo;83 too. At the time, they talked of economic reasons and putting more of a focus on production. So budget-related issues, or at least something to do with the market crisis. Is that an excuse? I wouldn&rsquo;t know. I don&rsquo;t know the real reasons, but I have the impression the decision&rsquo;s been made in a hurry.&rdquo; What do you think this will mean for MotoGP? &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a significant loss, but luckily we have many other manufacturers that will continue. It&rsquo;s just one less piece in the puzzle. Right now, Aprilia has become competitive, Ducati is successful and the others are also at a high level. MotoGP will continue without Suzuki. It&rsquo;s a pity that a great manufacturer will be missing. The riders, Mir and Rins, will stay because they&rsquo;ll move elsewhere, they&rsquo;ll have no problems.&rdquo; Translated by Heather Watson Dorna warns Suzuki: &ldquo;Many manufacturers are ready to enter MotoGP&rdquo;       

The 1982 world champion remarks on the Hamamatsu manufacturer&rsquo;s decision to leave MotoGP, drawing a comparison with what happened in his day

Exclusive, Uncini on Suzuki’s withdrawal: “I’m saddened, it’s like déjà-vu”

        After yesterday&rsquo;s bombshell news, the inevitable reactions... Dorna is of course monitoring the situation, in its role as MotoGP rights holder, taking care of every detail pertaining to the championship. In an official release, the Spanish company clarifies: "Following recent rumours of Suzuki departing MotoGP&trade; at the end of 2022, Dorna Sports has officially contacted the factory in order to remind them that the conditions of their contract to race in MotoGP do not allow for them to take this decision unilaterally&rdquo;. Clear words, which call for contracts already in place to be respected, or at least negotiated: "However, should Suzuki depart following an agreement between both parties, Dorna will decide on the ideal number of riders and teams racing in the MotoGP class from 2023&rdquo;. Goal of 24 bikes  The release continues, detailing how the championship&rsquo;s appeal remains, and will remain, intact: "Dorna continues to receive high levels of interest from a number of both official factories and Independent Teams looking to join the MotoGP grid as the sport continues to set a global example of close competition, innovation and entertainment, reaching hundreds of millions of fans around the world&rdquo;. It remains to be seen whether Dorna and the Hamamatsu manufacturer will reach an agreement. For now, we have the distinct impression that Suzuki will stick to its guns. Retracing its steps is not impossible, but it&rsquo;s something we don&rsquo;t often see. Translated by Heather Watson MotoGP, Dall'Igna: &ldquo;Bastianini or Martin to leave Ducati? They should think hard&rdquo;       

The championship organisers issue a press release: "We&rsquo;ve informed the company that the contract does not allow for a unilateral decision"

Dorna warns Suzuki: “Many manufacturers are ready to enter MotoGP”

        Incredible and unexpected news that could shake MotoGP and therefore impact on the riders&rsquo; market for next season &ndash; Suzuki could be about to withdraw from MotoGP once again, seven years after it officially returned in 2015, leaving Joan Mir and Alex Rins free to look elsewhere. According to Motorsport.com in fact, while the MotoGP tests were taking place at Jerez, the Hamamatsu manufacturer&rsquo;s management was meeting with members of the team headed up by Livio Suppo, communicating its decision to retire from the world championship at the end of the season. Up until now, Suzuki sources have not released any statements, but an official press release regarding the decision is expected soon. Translated by Heather Watson MotoGP, Dall'Igna: &ldquo;Bastianini or Martin to leave Ducati? They should think hard&rdquo;        

The news, if confirmed, would be incredible, in that it would be the Hamamatsu manufacturer's second withdrawal, after having first left in 2011 before returning in 2015

Suzuki, farewell MotoGP at the end of 2022?

        Look out everyone, because the Suzuki silence is worrying. Worrying for their rivals, not for team Ecstar, which is doing well during this 2022 MotoGP season. Alex Rins lies second in the standings, Joan Mir fourth. And the gap to leader Enea Bastianini is small, just 5 points for the Catalan rider, 15 for the Majorcan. Right now, the GSX-RR doesn&rsquo;t excel in terms of overall competitiveness, but it has been consistent. And it is not actually slow, with the number 42 rider having already reached the podium twice, with a good third place finish at Termas de Rio Hondo, and an excellent second at Austin. The 2020 world champion has not yet scored a podium finish but we wouldn&rsquo;t be surprised if he soon does. Mir may not have taken any risks until now, but he is able to harness the resources that both he and the Hamamatsu bike possess. Europa, the &ldquo;true&rdquo; MotoGP championship: Suzuki will attack  It&rsquo;s long been said that the real championship only gets underway with the European rounds. True or false, the statement has some sense, in that the teams and manufacturers have close ties to Europe, the riders are not forced to make long and tiring journeys, they train better and more often and they know the tracks inside out. Portimao and Jerez are two circuits where Suzuki can do well and score&nbsp;great results. Joan Mir scored two podiums in the Algarve last year for instance, proof that ability through the turns can make up for a lack of engine power along the straight. And we should also point out just how the GSX-RR engine has grown since last season, now more than able to transfer its horsepower to the ground and with top speeds in line with those of its rivals, better in some cases. If we add the first-rate frame and electronics, it is clear that team Ecstar will immediately be on the attack. Strong competition, but in peaks and troughs. The Suzukis are always there  From Qatar to the States, only European manufacturers have won so far. Ducati at Lusail, KTM at Mandalika, Aprilia in Argentina, and Ducati again at Austin. The Japanese manufacturers are yet to get off the line, if we&rsquo;re talking single race wins. And some are suffering more than others&hellip; Honda has stood out only in Doha, thanks to Pol Espargar&oacute;&rsquo;s podium. Yamaha shone in Indonesia, Fabio Quartararo strong in the wet. But Suzuki has done better, with two podiums for Alex Rins. No win yet, but there is real consistency. And substance. Even when things have gone badly, the GSX-RR bikes have still finished well within the top ten. And when they&rsquo;ve had problems, the riders have still scored solid points, improving each time out, even at supposedly unfavourable tracks. So, we say it again, look out for Suzuki. Portimao and Jerez will be good hunting ground for the team, with Portugal or Spain perhaps bringing the first win of 2022. Or, who knows, perhaps a fantastic double. And in that case, we&rsquo;d have no more doubts. Translated by Heather Watson MotoGP: Enea responds to Pernat re a possible future with Honda       

Rins and Mir are building a solid championship. They haven&rsquo;t won a race yet, but Alex lies second in the standings, Joan fourth. Initial wins may come at Portimao and Jerez, good tracks for the GSX-RR

Look out for Suzuki, MotoGP outsiders: the title is possible

        Like Alex Rins, Joan Mir wants to make up for the Hamamatsu manufacturer&rsquo;s less than brilliant results in Qatar. The Majorcan &ndash; 2017 Moto3 and 2020 MotoGP world champion &ndash; has high hopes for the Indonesian GP: &ldquo;This race will be important in terms of understanding the potential of the GSX-RR. In Qatar we didn&rsquo;t finish where we expected to, but we did understand jsut how much room we still have to improve our performance. If we think where we were in 2021, we&rsquo;re more optimistic and certain now". The goal is clear then, but the question is just why did the Suzukis suffer at Lusail? Number 36 has this to say: "The front would lock up, but for all the riders I think. The front tyre moved around, but I think that was a tyre choice relating to each bike and rider. To solve the issue, we need to refine our electronic management work, while also seeking more traction. The bike hasn&rsquo;t changed a lot compared to the previous version, although in 2021 we didn&rsquo;t have the lowering device and other things that we now have on the GSX-RR. The engine is more powerful now and our potential is high, we need more experience in order to understand just how high&rdquo;. Rain or shine for Mir at Mandalika? Indifferent, but...  As the February tests were IRTA sessions, team Suzuki Ecstar was of course present at Mandalika. Joan has one particular memory: &ldquo;During the tests, we collected a lot of data, despite not being able to count on a satellite team. We need to refine the whole package, so that we don&rsquo;t suffer. As I&rsquo;ve said, the potential is significant, now we have to get everything in the right place". In the meantime, the Indonesian track has undergone treatment: "It will be interesting to see how the bike responds on the new asphalt. In testing, it was dirty and there was only one line, so you couldn&rsquo;t make passes. Now it should be possible though... at turn one maybe, or through the fast chicanes. I don&rsquo;t know if you can pass though the last turn but, who knows, probably yes if it&rsquo;s the last lap of the race (he laughs)&rdquo;. Rain or shine? The forecast threatens heavy downpours, but the Majorcan isn&rsquo;t worried: "As a rider, I should say that I don&rsquo;t really care either way and I&rsquo;ll race in any conditions (he laughs). Personally, I&rsquo;d prefer a dry race, but we&rsquo;ll see. The SBK riders told me that, although it rained a lot, the Mandalika track has a lot of grip. I&rsquo;d like it dry anyway". Translated by Heather Watson GP Indonesia, Gardner: &ldquo;Mandalika is Phillip Island... But 25&deg; hotter"       

Joan jokes, with reference to the chances of rain at Mandalika: "As a rider, I should say that I&rsquo;ll race in any conditions, but I&rsquo;d prefer dry. During the tests it was impossible to make passes, but the new asphalt will help&rdquo;

Indonesia GP, Mir: “Rain or shine? I don’t care”

        Impressive top speed but (rather) disappointing end results. At the Qatar GP, the Suzuki Ecstar team didn&rsquo;t exactly reap what it had sown during winter testing and the first Lusail practice sessions. At both Sepang and Mandalika, the GSX-RRs demonstrated real improvement compared to 2021, and this was soon confirmed during the first timed sessions of the 2022 season. But then came the race, or rather the most important moment of the weekend, in which trophies and points are awarded. If we consider the final result on Sunday, we note that the gap between race winner Enea Bastianini and the team Gresini Ducati &ndash; an independent squad &ndash; and the best of the Hamamatsu four-cylinders was almost five seconds. Mir and Rins: limited gap in Qatar, but the podium was out of reach  To be precise, the 2017 Moto3 champion and the 2020 MotoGP champion finished the race 4.843 seconds apart which, over the course of 22 laps, means a difference of about two tenths per lap. Up until a few seasons ago, such pace would have seen the chasing rider battling for the win or podium, but this is no longer the case. The circle is extremely tight, and includes all those details that make up the perfect, or almost perfect, performance. Meanwhile, Alex Rins, seventh, only adds to the concern. The gap between the winner and the number 42 rider was essentially double that of number 36, 8.810 seconds according to the timesheets. And even this result was in part influenced by the Pecco Bagnaia / Jorge Martin crash. The two ducatisti were battling it out in seventh and eighth place when they fell, their double exit from the race to Rins&rsquo; advantage but also to his disadvantage, as he was unable to make use of any slipstream. The GSX-RR will be in the spotlight at Mandalika, a first shot at redemption  Indonesia will offer the factory Ecstar team a first opportunity to redeem itself. Pre-season testing and the arrival of Livio Suppo are highly relevant in this case, because the data collated at Mandalika and the new helmsman can both be of significant help to Mir and Rins. In the hope they are not distracted by any market considerations that is, seeing as both their contracts are up for renewal come the end of the season. Joan and Alex have clearly already spoken with the Suzuki managers of course, and also with other manufacturers. Might it be time to consider a change of team, or is it better to focus on the possibility of achieving the season&rsquo;s first podium? Only the riders can decide, but one thing is certain &ndash; in MotoGP, those who fail to focus on the race and result will fail to reach the front. And we don&rsquo;t write this simply in response to the seventh and eighth place scored by the GSX-RR in Qatar. This is always and unequivocably the case. Translated by Heather Watson MotoGP, is a renewal between Quartararo and Yamaha looking increasingly unlikely?       

Mir and Rins were quick with the GSX-RR along the straight but didn&rsquo;t shine come race day, their performance in practice seemingly a mirage. Mandalika provides team Ecstar with a first shot at redemption

MotoGP, we expected more of Suzuki in Qatar

It seems strange to link Livio Suppo, a man who has characterised the modern era of MotoGP, with the new, but he is new to Suzuki. After many years with Ducati and Honda, Suppo has been called upon to replace Davide Brivio at Suzuki, taking on the role of Team Manager and filling a gap that has proved crucial.  &ldquo;Unfortunately I&rsquo;m already 57 - jokes Suppo in an interview shared on Suzuki social media channels &ndash; but I have 25 years of experience in motorcycle racing. After all those years, I decided to take a break, but then Sahara asked me if I was interested to return to MotoGP, and I thought this would be a great opportunity to do so&quot;.  Many have asked how the years away from the paddock have been for Suppo, and what has pushed him to return, but Livio has clear ideas about both.  &ldquo;It was strange to be away from MotoGP, especially at first. When you find yourself doing without something you had for so long, it&rsquo;s bound to be strange. Thinking back, I&rsquo;m sure that I needed a break, and at the same time it has reignited my desire to work in MotoGP. I think Steve McQueen once said: &ldquo;Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting&rdquo;. I think that when you have racing in the blood, it&rsquo;s impossible to forget it, and this means I&rsquo;m very motivated ahead of Qatar&rdquo;.  Suppo: &quot;I&rsquo;m already getting on well with the Suzuki guys&quot;   The new Team Manager faces many challenges of course. The first being to adapt to the current MotoGP.  &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not worried about the fact I&rsquo;ve been away from MotoGP for four years, as twenty plus years of experience are hard to erase. I come to Suzuki just ahead of the first round, but I know the paddock and think I can start out in the right way. Each team has its own characteristics, so first I need to listen and adapt, also bringing something of my own&rdquo;.  The second is to harmonise with his new family, although things already seem to be doing well.  &ldquo;When I accepted the offer with Honda, I was curious to understand a new culture and see how my work method could combine with theirs. I can already say that my feeling with the Suzuki world is good, so I&rsquo;m pleased&rdquo;.  He need not talk about goals of course, as these are already clear.  &ldquo;I think Suzuki has made smart choices with its riders. Both have shown they know how to win, and the bike seems to have taken a big step forward compared to last year. The winter tests left the team happy, so I&rsquo;ll do all I can to help Suzuki be a title contender&rdquo;.  Translated by Heather Watson  MotoGP Qatar, Rins: &ldquo;We have more power, but it&rsquo;s never enough&rdquo; 

&quot;Suzuki has chosen its riders well, both have shown that they know how to win. I&rsquo;ll need to adapt to the team, also bringing something of my own. The break has reignited my desire to go racing&quot;

MotoGP, Suppo: &ldquo;My four-year break is not a problem, we&rsquo;ll fight for the title&rdquo;

With the last two seasons having been conditioned by Covid, this year promises a more &lsquo;traditional&rsquo; championship, with 21 rounds confirmed as things stand. 2021 proved to be a very complicated year for Alex Rins, and the rider is now more than ready to turn the page.  Rins: &quot;We need to be prepared&quot;   &ldquo;The championship will be very long, and then there&rsquo;s the Covid factor; if you catch it, you could miss a race. In my case, I&rsquo;ll try to make the most of every GP. Starting in Qatar&rdquo;. Which he will take on with a more competitive GSX-RR: &ldquo;One of the biggest improvements is the new engine. We&rsquo;ve taken a small step forward in that area. It&rsquo;s never enough though, we always want more&rdquo;. As for the calendar, the Spaniard comments: &ldquo;We&rsquo;re very tired by the end of the season, both us and the mechanics. We&rsquo;re all human. It&rsquo;s hard and we need to be prepared&rdquo;.  The level on track is higher than ever   The competition is tough, so much so that Alex is unable to identify just one rider as the man to beat: &ldquo;Almost everyone is competitive. We saw that last year and every year we see a more level playing field, we&rsquo;re increasingly close and so there&rsquo;s no room for error. It&rsquo;s hard to name one rider or bike that will win the title&rdquo;. As for Rins, he&rsquo;ll focus on working hard with his travel companion: &ldquo;The GSX-RR is an additional part of my life, another part of me. The relationship I have with the bike is one of affection, and provocation&rdquo;.  Translated by Heather Watson  GP Qatar, Joan Mir: &ldquo;I have a love-hate relationship with my Suzuki&rdquo; 

The Spaniard prepares for a new season with a more competitive bike, retaining the same approach as ever. He talks about the main difficulties &nbsp;

MotoGP Qatar, Rins: &ldquo;We have more power, but it&rsquo;s never enough&rdquo;

The first MotoGP round is upon us and the Hamamatsu manufacturer aims high as it prepares to line up with the solid pairing of Joan Mir and Alex Rins. The Majorcan got the job done in 2020, and this year he&rsquo;ll have a more competitive GSX-RR in his hands, as he himself confirms.  Mir: &quot;We&rsquo;ve had good potential for two years&quot;   &ldquo;I&rsquo;m confident that the bike will work better this year&rdquo;, comments the rider before boarding for Qatar. The improvements are tangible: &ldquo;The engine has more power. I also think that, having not improved a great deal between 2020 and 2021, the step made in 2022 is bigger. I&rsquo;m sure of it&rdquo;. The fight for the title will be tough, sure, but his approach remains the same: &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve always focused on one race at a time, giving it my all each time. This year will be no exception. I&rsquo;ll give 100% in Qatar and then do the same in the next races&rdquo;.  A lot is expected of him and he knows this: &ldquo;The expectations are high, we&rsquo;ve had very good potential for two years. Every year I give more, and we&rsquo;ll see if we can round out the year fighting at the front&rdquo;.  21 races will be a challenge   The list of rivals is long: &ldquo;The Ducatis will be very strong and I think Pecco in particular will be one to beat in every race. Fabio (Quartararo) who won the title last year will be strong. And Marc Marquez is back, always one to look out for. The Suzuki team will be competitive&rdquo;. The 2022 calendar will be pretty intense, with twenty-one rounds around the world, unlike the last two seasons which were conditioned by the Covid-19 pandemic: &ldquo;The more races we run, the more time we spend away from home. We&rsquo;re riders, we have a good job, and clearly it&rsquo;s not a big problem, though we&rsquo;ll be more tired physically and mentally&rdquo;.  But when he&rsquo;s on track, Mir only has eyes for her: &ldquo;I have a love-hate relationship with my GSX-RR. I need to talk to her so that she&#39;ll help me in races. She can bring me great joy and great sadness&quot;.  Translated by Heather Watson  MotoGP: Bastianini and Di Giannantonio on the attack at the Qatar GP 

His rivals, the packed calendar, the improvements to the GSX-RR... the Majorcan covers all this and more ahead of the season-opener

GP Qatar, Joan Mir: &ldquo;I have a love-hate relationship with my Suzuki&rdquo;

        If I think about Livio Suppo, one of the adjectives that comes to (my) mind is successful. He was there when Ducati won the title with Casey Stoner, he was there when Marc Marquez ran away with the MotoGP trophy with Honda. So the fact that Suzuki has now hired him as team manager looks to be a good decision on paper, and says a lot about the manufacturer&rsquo;s commitment heading into 2022. A fundamental figure  In 2020 the Japanese manufacturer was walking on air thanks to the extraordinary success of Joan Mir, who won the title in the year that Suzuki also celebrated its 100th anniversary. 2021 was then its first year without a team manager following Davide Brivio&rsquo;s departure, and it proved to be an uphill climb. There were various issues, the riders not always satisfied from a technical standpoint for example, but Suzuki has learned its lesson, realising that a team manager is essential. Mir and Rins welcome the arrival of the Italian  Hence, the decision to hire Livio Suppo, a manager with significant experience and who returns, after four years away from the paddock, with even greater motivation and a real challenge ahead of him. Will he be able to win with a third manufacturer? This is of course the goal, and both Mir and Alex Rins welcome him with open arms. On social media, the Majorcan comments: &ldquo;Welcome Livio, we&rsquo;ll be stronger working together&rdquo;. And the Spaniard echoes his team-mate&rsquo;s words: &ldquo;Welcome Livio, I can&rsquo;t wait to work with you!&rdquo; Basically, the riders couldn&rsquo;t be happier about the decision and are keen to get back to work. Suzuki has got itself one of the best team managers around, and now has all the ingredients to strike fear into its rivals once more. Translated by Heather Watson Moto3: Taiyo Furusato to miss the Qatar GP       

The Hamamatsu manufacturer learned a valuable lesson in 2021 and has now hired a standout team manager

MotoGP 2022: Livio Suppo, Suzuki’s trump card

        There&rsquo;s no longer a number one on Joan Mir&rsquo;s suit or fairings, the rider now embarking on a new chapter in his career. After his 2020 title and the highs and lows of 2021, the Spaniard arrives in Malaysia keen to be a frontrunner with the Suzuki. &ldquo;What do I need in order to fight for the title? I hope to find out during these tests (he laughs). We&rsquo;ve shown that Suzuki can be a winning bike and that I can be a winning rider, but it all depends on circumstance. The manufacturer has worked hard over winter &ndash; I&rsquo;d like to be able to fight for pole positions, as well as race wins&rdquo;. Joan has given it all when it comes to his winter training, and now he&rsquo;s ready for this initial test bench. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve trained like always, though I try to up the intensity each year, as I gain experience. I&rsquo;ve done a lot of MX and flat track, as well as gym work and karting. The first tests are also important from a physical standpoint, and so we&rsquo;ll see if I&rsquo;ve done the right kind of preparation. I feel I have room to improve each year, and I want to exploit that&rdquo;. Mir: &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t like criticism, but it&rsquo;s part of the job&rdquo;  Over the winter, the Spaniard has had chance to look back at his 2021 season, including some moments of tension that definitely didn&rsquo;t help. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t like reading certain comments, though it&rsquo;s normal that people criticise. I don&rsquo;t usually react well, in fact sometimes I don&rsquo;t even recognise myself, but I think I&rsquo;ll learn from my mistakes. I don&rsquo;t want to say that I don&rsquo;t care what people think, because we&rsquo;re here for them, but I&rsquo;m young and I don&rsquo;t like criticism, even if it&rsquo;s part of the job&rdquo;. Lastly, Mir touches on the upcoming test work and who he thinks might be a possible 2022 title contender. &ldquo;We have many things to test, although we&rsquo;re not going to revolutionise the bike. We want to improve in all areas, so we need to be smart and make the most of the two days here so that we have a clearer idea when we get to Mandalika. Title contenders? Marc is one, but I think the main one is Fabio, also simply for the fact he&rsquo;s the current champion. Many riders have taken steps forward this year, and I hope I&rsquo;m one of them, so that I can really be in with a shot at the title&rdquo;. Translated by Heather Watson Dovizioso: &ldquo;Stoner? It doesn&rsquo;t surprise me. Many successful riders have had problems&rdquo;       

"It&rsquo;s part of the job, but I need to improve. Suzuki and I have shown we can win, so we need to do it again. I have a lot of new things to test, we&rsquo;ll see&rdquo;

MotoGP, Mir: “I react badly to criticism, sometimes I don’t recognise myself”

        The riders are training hard once more and the pre-season is just around the corner, with the first general test scheduled for 5 February, at the Sepang circuit. And we also have dates for the various team presentations. Kicking things off this month is team Gresini, which returns as a private team and embarks on a new adventure with Ducati and riders Enea Bastianini and Fabio Di Giannantonio. The squad will unveil its project on Saturday 15 January at 11 am CET. The calendar is coming together  The second of the twelve teams that will present to the public is the new WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team with Andrea Dovizioso and rookie Darryn Binder, who arrives from Moto3. They will present on Monday 24 January. After a week&rsquo;s break, the Pramac team takes its turn on 2 February, with Johann Zarco and Jorge Martin. And just two days&rsquo; later it&rsquo;s time for the factory Yamaha team presentation with Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli, scheduled for Friday 4 February, just prior to the tests. On the same day, at the Malaysian track, the new Suzukis with which Joan Mir and Alex Rins will race will also be unveiled. The only, ambitious goal being the championship title. Presentation dates  15 January - team Gresini 24 January - WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team 2 February - Team Pramac Racing 4 February - Monster Energy Yamaha 4 February - Team Suzuki Ecstar Translated by Heather Watson Wisdom comes with age: Dovizioso the oldest MotoGP rider       

The first test session at Sepang will get underway on 5 February, the new season set to begin very soon. So when will we see the new liveries?

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